General Strike Rally Held at Gwangju City Hall on the 5th
Further Protests Announced in Front of POSCO and Jeonnam Provincial Government on the 19th and 26th
The National Construction Workers' Union Gwangju-Jeonnam Construction Machinery Branch held a general strike rally in front of Gwangju City Hall on the afternoon of the 5th, urging to "guarantee the survival rights of construction workers." Provided by the Construction Workers' Union Gwangju-Jeonnam Construction Machinery Branch
Construction machinery workers in Gwangju and Jeonnam have gone on strike, demanding the protection of their right to livelihood amid the ongoing downturn in the construction industry.
The Gwangju-Jeonnam Construction Machinery Branch of the National Construction Workers' Union held a general strike rally in front of Gwangju City Hall on the afternoon of the 5th, stating, "As the construction industry downturn continues, the survival rights of construction workers are under threat. Even though we work hard and sweat in the extreme heat, cases of delayed payments for wages or equipment rentals are increasing."
They further claimed, "Some union members are facing the risk of having their construction equipment repossessed because they cannot pay their installment loans. The unfair practices of construction companies, such as forcing workers to replace construction machinery worth hundreds of millions of won due to age restrictions or compelling long hours of hard labor, still persist."
They added, "The newly inaugurated government must eradicate illegal multi-level subcontracting and illegal employment, which are rampant at construction sites, and also look after the livelihoods of workers who have been pushed to the brink."
About 1,000 out of the total 1,500 union members participated in the general strike rally that day. They staged a performance in which they destroyed boxes inscribed with slogans calling for the eradication of illegal employment, using equipment such as excavators.
The union explained that since non-union members and some union members continued working at their respective sites, there was no significant disruption to production related to the strike.
The workers, who went on a one-day strike, plan to hold additional general strike rallies on July 19 in front of POSCO in Gwangyang, Jeonnam, and on July 26 in front of the Jeonnam Provincial Government Office, continuing their lawful protest actions.
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